51 Views from Sake Mountain

Attended Wine of Japan's trade tasting in Manhattan on Saturday. Not every sake in the portfolio was represented (I was hoping to try Shikaiou from Aichi, Shichifukujin from Iwate, Rikishi from Saitama, Biwa no Choju from Shiga, and Fushimi's Tomio, but I didn't see these.) Got there a bit late, so I held off on revisiting brews in the portfolio that I've had recently (Koshi no Tousetsuka, Kaiun, and Niwa no Uguisu, amongst others.)

Akita Homare (Akita Prefecture) - fed by the waters of Chōkaisan, second highest peak in the Tohoku district, and at approximately 40° latitude, they claim to have weather similar to that of New York...hmm... Mt. Marcy sake, anyone?

• Pride of Akita Tokubetsu Junmai: Miyama Nishiki milled to 53%, Akita Hana yeast, SMV +1.5. Deep and mellow, strong melon flavour, with a sharpish dry finish.
  
• Pride of Akita Junmai Daiginjo: Akita Sake Komachi milled to 41%, Komachi yeast, SMV +0.5. Surprisingly full-flavoured and rich for a daiginjo, with a surprisingly dry finish for such a low nihonshu-do. A conundrum, and not the last of the day.

Banshu Ikkon (Hyogo Prefecture)

• Kaede no Shizuku (Maple Leaf Rain Drop) Junmai Ginjo: Hyogo Yumenishiki milled to 60%, SMV +3. Intriguing nose of campfire and bacon, complete contrast to the mild and smooth taste. Allegedly can take further bottle maturing. I just wanted some bacon.

Bunraku (Saitama Prefecture) - It seems these guys only go in for these unusual bottles - you've seen my notes for their Yamahai in the blue oversized cologne bottle already, so I didn't try that one again. There was also a kinmaishu that I didn't feel like trying - the style with the gold flakes in it.

• Dress Bottle Junmai Ginjo: Omachi milled to 55%, SMV +3. Not a yamahai sake. Dry, rich and soft, but I found the nose simply too alcoholic to enjoy much.

Kazuma Shuzo (Ishikawa Prefecture) - a Noto-Toji production.

• Chikuha (Bamboo Blade) Junmai: Gohyakumangoku milled to 55%, SMV ±0 (this is going to drag down my average.) Peanutty, earthy slightly funky nose. Sweet/sour fruit, full, and surprisingly dry, which must speak to the acidity keeping this in balance. Recommended with "broiled red meat fish."

Furuta Shuzo (Gifu Prefecture) - a rarity in the sake world, in that the owner, and if I understood correctly, chief brewer is a woman. She was on hand, but I didn't have much success in communicating with her.

• Setchukanbai Junmai Ginjo: some local varietal, SMV +6. Sweetish nose, clean entry, savoury mid-palate and a good dose of rice flavour.
  
• Da Junmai Ginjyo [sic]: Gohyakumangoku milled to 50%, SMV +6. Notably lighter and fresher than the Setchukanbai.

She also had brought a single bottle of an unlisted unnamed product which she referred to as "geisha-style." A sweeter, rounder sake, designed, as her translator explained, for the American palate. An experimental product at this point. It was definitely sweeter and softer than I like - not nigori-sweet, and not necessarily unbalanced, but not so much to my preference.



Sanwa Shuzo (Shizuoka Prefecture). Brewed from an underground source of the Okitsu River (apparently, the only location in Eastern Japan where one can fish for Ayu.)

• Garyubai (Dragon Shaped Plum Trees) Namachozo Genshu Junmai Ginjo: Hyogo Yamada Nishiki milled to 55%, SMV +4. Very flavourful, sharp and fruity.
  
• Garyubai Junmai Daiginjo: Yamada Nishiki milled to 40%, SMV +2. Smooth, soft, caressing, rather than mizumitai, there was a very pleasant taste of coconut water.

Ginrei Gassan (Yamagata Prefecture)

• Gassan no Yuki Junmai Ginjo: Dewa San San milled to 50%, SMV +1. I don't know what it is about Yamagata sake, maybe it's the water, but I love this clean, soft, and yes, to my palate lightly sweet style of sake.

Hioki Zakura (Tottori Prefecture) - tsk, tsk, the pourer didn't seem to know that there were sand dunes in Tottori, much less about Abe Kōbō's novel, Woman in the Dunes.

• Yama Yosoofu (Traditional Concept) Tokubetsu Junmai Hiyaoroshi: Yamada Nishiki and Gyokuei milled to 55%, SMV +7.5. Dry, rich, nicely balanced, with a clean finish.
  
• Densho Gouriki (Autumnal Tints) Junmai Ginjo: Kyoryoku milled to 55%, SMV +7. Prominent acidity, with a spicy sweetness. Lots going on here.
  
• Hiokizakura (Cherry Blossoms of Hioki) Junmai Muroka: Gyokuei milled to 60%, SMV +5.5. Yellow, mellow.

Tenzan (Saga Prefecture). Love me some Kyushu sake!

• Jizake Junmai Genshu: Saga Saikai No. 134 milled to 60%, SMV +2. Sweet, balanced, filling, with a sour-dry finish. Very satisfying, and hard to make out the 18% abv.
  
• Jun Tokubetsu Junmai: According to the brewer, this is the same sake as the Jizake, just not Genshu. And that made for an interesting comparison... rather than smoothen out and enhance, like, say, Scotch, this was pretty much just a lighter and cleaner version. Still very tasty.
  
• Sudachi: a new product, made in a style similar to the better ume-infused sake, this uses the sudachi citrus, which for me tasted all the world like the small Indian sweet limes. This with a drop of fresh squeezed ginger would be amazing.

Kanazawa Nakamura (Ishikawa Prefecture)

• Kaga Setsubai (Plum Tree in the Snow of Kaga) Junmai Ginjo: Gohyakumangoku milled to 60% for the Shubo and Koji, Kakemai milled to 65% for the moromi. SMV +2.5, acidity and amino acidity 1.3, yeast #9. Rich and ricey aroma, with a very subtle capsicum note. Soft, with more peppery herbality. Doesn't need, but wants food.
  
• Nichiei (Glory of the Sun Junmai: Gohyakumangoku milled to 60%/65% as above, SMV +3.5, acidity and amino acidity 1.4, yeast #7. Shellac nose, also vegetal and peppery. They also sell a cup version of this for serving frozen, slushy style, like Tama no Hikari's Reishu.
  
• Nichiei Junmai Daiginjo: Yamada Nishiki milled to 50%, SMV ±0, acidity 1.5, amino acidity 1.4, yeast #14. Softer, sweeter, and still with the pepper.
  
• Renaissance Junmai: Gohyakumangoku milled to 65%/70% as above. SMV -8, acidity 1.7, amino acidity 1.9. The pourer described the nose on this as "tarty" - she was dead right. Tarty, Smarties, sweet and sours. No thanks.

Kan Nihonkai (Shimane Prefecture)

• Ryoshizake Junmai Ginjo: Yamada Nishiki and Gohyakumangoku milled to 50%, SMV +4. Dry, delicate, with mild nose - recommended to serve warm or room temperature (and also chilled). Does that just about cover things?
  
• Mizusumi no Sato Junmai Daiginjo: Yamada Nishiki milled to 40%, SMV +3. More fruitiness than the Ryoshizake, with some sour nutty aromas. This didn't agree with me. Or I with it. Or something.
  
• Chokarakuchi Junmai Genshu: Gohyakumangoku milled to 65%, SMV +15!!!: Soy, caramel, and broth nose, surprisingly mellow and sweet, almost a bit pasty on the palate. Comes in a red bottle, which suggests it might be an akazake, or is simply a warning.

Ozawa Shuzo (Tokyo Prefecture) - I really like this company's SMV +10 Sawanoi Daikarakuchi, so the other bottling they had on offer, well, not quite sure what to expect.

• Sawanoi Genroku (Genroku Era (Edo)) Junmai: Akihikari milled to 90%, SMV -8. So, this sake is produced in a manner and style from a period in the late 17th century. In addition to the more coarse milling, the mash is fermented in casks made of sugi (cryptomeria). Rich and full-bodied, and yes, quite sweet, but with decent balance. Clearly a different style of sake.

Asabiraki (Iwate Prefecture)

• Nanbu Touji Tokubetsu Junmai Kimoto: Hyogo Tamasakae (organic) milled to 60%, SMV +2, acidity and amino acidity 1.5. Sweet nose, very clean.
  
• Zen Tokubetsu Junmai: Gin Otome Iwate milled to 60%, SMV +2, acidity 1.5, amino acidity 1.4. Rich, balanced, and tasty. This is even available in the PA State Stores.

Echigo Shuzo (Niigata Prefecture)

• Koshi no Sasameyuki (Little Snow Flurries of Koshi) Junmai: Gohyakumangoku and Koshibuki milled to 50%, SMV +5, acidity 1.4. I've had a few of this company's products, I love the light, crisp, dry and refreshing style, makes me think of snow-covered mountains.

Maihime (Nagano Prefecture)

• Maihime (Dancing Princess) Junmai Ginjo: Miyama Nishiki milled to 50%, SMV +3. Though this is described as being drier and lighter, I had the opposite reaction, found it, relatively, rich and sweet, but mellow, with tasty chocolate and savoury tones.
  
• Maihime Tokubetsu Junmai: Miyama Nishiki milled to 55%, SMV +6. Full yet clean, with a dry and almost bright finish.

Hinomaru Jozo (Akita Prefecture)

• Mansaku no Hana (Flowering Japanese Witch-Hazel) Yamahai Junmai Daiginjo: Yamada Nishiki milled to 45%, SMV +2. Aged for two years at 5°C. Surprisingly clean, light and very mellow, tasty.
  
• Beni Mansaku (Red Witch-Hazel) Junmai Ginjo: Ginnosei milled to 45%, SMV +1.5, using a flower yeast, and a very low 13.8% abv. Floral nose, very light and soft, shy stuff.
  
• Hyakunenmae (100 Years Ago) Usu-nigori Junmai: Kiyonishiki milled to 60%, SMV -24. Well, it's sweet, with definite pastry/bakery aromas and textures. Retains a softness and lightness though, not at all cloying.

Yamawashuzoten (Miyagi Prefecture)

• Meisousui (Meditation) Junmai Ginjo: Yamada Nishiki (32%) and Kuranohana (68%) milled to 55%, SMV +3, acidity 1.7, amino acidity 1.8, 14.8% abv. This was definitely a sake I've been wanting to try, and it didn't disappoint - soft and smooth, but balanced and refreshing. Can we forgive the Engrish on the label? Original punctuation and capitalization has been preserved for full effect:
  
  Time went by.
  It's time to meditate,
  Listen to the voice of universe,
  with clear heart."

Toshimori (Okayama Prefecture)

• Sake Hitosuji (The Only Sake) Akaiwaomachi Junmai Ginjo: Akaiwa Omachi milled to 55%, SMV +2. Soft but well-balanced, nice sweet-sour, mellow and tasty.
  
• Sake Hitosuji Akaiwaomachi Junmai Daiginjo: Akaiwa Omachi milled to 38%, SMV +4. Another full-bodied daiginjo, a bit of acetone on the nose, light but sweet rice flavour with drying finish.

Sempuku Kura (Hiroshima Prefecture)

• Sempuku Kura (Brewery of a Thousand Fortunes) Junmai Daiginjo: Senbon Nishiki milled to 50%, SMV +4. Smooth, soft, full, and a great bitter finish. The sake of the event that I'd most like to revisit.

Hamakawa Shonten (Kochi Prefecture). I really enjoyed this brewery's Shintaro Junmai Karakuchi, and in the run up to this tasting, had heard that they would be showing some "new" products.

• Shintaro Sparkling Sake: Matsuyama Mitsui milled to 55%, SMV +3. Already this is curious! This is not bottle fermented, but instead carbonated. Very dry and crisp, tight, with a mild sour bite on the finish. I was skeptical, but this was not bad. Very, very unusual product.
  
• Shintaro Yuzu: This is Hamakawa's junmai, flavoured with yuzu citron and honey, and again, I was surprised by the deliciousness, reminded me of the lemon barley squash drinks my grandfather would mix up for me to join him (and his Chivas) after a long day in the clinics. I'm wondering why sake and citrus keeps reminding me of Indian drinks.

Otani Shuzo (Tottori Prefecture) - brewed from the waters of Daisen (大山 - big mountain) - from certain directions, this mountain bears a striking resemblance to Mt. Fuji, with high conic symmetry. Other directions? Not so much.

• Takaisami (Hawk's Bravery) Nakadare Junmai Ginjo: Yamada Nishiki and Tamasakae milled to 50%, SMV +5. Like a full-flavoured springwater, very essential.
  
• Takaisami Tokubetsu Junmai: Yamada Nishiki and Tamasakae milled to 50%, SMV +4. More full-bodied, full rice flavour, but with a very clean aroma.

Tenryo (Gifu Prefecture)

• Hidahomare (Pride of Hida) Junmai Ginjo: Hidahomare milled to 50%, SMV +3. Rich nose, fruity but cleansing palate.
  
• Koshu Junmai Daiginjo: Hidahomare milled to 50%, SMV +4, aged 3 years in the bottle at 6°C. Rich, sweet and sourness, candy apples, very satisfying.

Aihara Shuzo (Hiroshima Prefecture) - I wanted to like the Tokubetsu Junmai, but I just wasn't bowled over - had trouble with the alcohol peeking out on that one. So, since they focus more on the Daiginjo end, I was curious to try some of their other offerings.

• Ugo no Tsuki (Moon After The Rain) Junmai Ginjo: Yamada Nishiki milled to 50%, SMV +4. An unusual tangerine nose, but otherwise this didn't pluck my strings.
  
• Ugo no Tsuki Junmai Daiginjo: Bizenomachi milled to 40%, SMV +3. Vibrant, full nose. Smooth and mild, well balanced, with a slight sharpness on the finish. Not as earthy as I'd expected, but then again, I don't often come across a daiginjo with omachi. Not sure about the specific characteristics of this strain of Omachi either.

Konishi (Hyogo Prefecture). Seems they've got several brands under one umbrella, a few I've tried - Sesshu Otokoyama, Itami Onigoroshi, and also a very inexpensive and decent Shirayuki Shiboritate, available in the U.S. But it was the regular bottle Shirayuki that gave me the fear. So, I looked for some explanations from the marketing director who was on hand. Turns out that the sake inside the bottle I had was indeed made in Australia, using an Australian-grown sake rice. But then the sake itself is shipped to Japan for bottling before export to the U.S. And still the price I paid was only $13 (A steal... i.e., I wuz robbed).

The marketing director explained that they will start (or have started) to bottle in Australia itself for direct export, but also noted there is a separate product, with the exact same label, that is brewed and bottled in Japan... I didn't get around to trying it, but apparently, it is very, very different, and better (hardly a difficult accomplishment.)

• Shirayuki Nama Junmai: Nihonbare milled to 70%, SMV +3. This is not nama-nama, but nama chozo, i.e., aged unpasteurised, but pasteurised before release. For me, this was certainly light and smooth, but not very fresh tasting. Again, the director chimed in and said this is best within a couple of months of release (which was more than a couple of months ago).
  
• Shirayuki Junmai Ginjo: Yamada Nishiki milled to 55%, SMV +2. On the sweet side, but smooth and balanced. Is it redemption for the Australian stuff? I'll reserve judgment.

Kitaya (Fukuoka Prefecture)

• Kitaya (Family with a lot of Pleasure) Junmai: Yume-Ikkon milled to 60%, SMV +1.5. Very full and savoury.
  
• Kansansui (Cold Mountain Water) Junmai Daiginjo: 60/40% Yamada Nishiki and Yume-Ikkon milled to 40%, SMV +2.5. Elegant and light.
  
• Kansansui Junmai Daiginjo Kasumizake: An usu-nigori version of the same. Only barely sweeter, more texture obviously, but this didn't have the savoury elements that make's the Mukune version of this style so satisfying. I'm curious that the listed SMV is the same, I'd think it would be less with the rice solids still in.

Shirakawago (Gifu Prefecture) - everything was shutting down by the time I got to this table, but I was relating to the owner how a friend had recently brought me back a bottle of doburoku from the Shirakawago doburoku festival (a homebrew style which is illegal to, well, homebrew, except for residents of Shirakawago. Now, one of his marketing people hadn't even been to the annual festival, so after some tut-tutting from both of us, I received a couple of quick pours and a pair of bottles to take home, will report in more detail later. As far as I can tell, Shirakawago makes only nigori-style sake.

• Sasanigori Junmai Ginjo: Gohyakumangoku milled to 60%, SMV ±0 (! - not the +1 I've read of elsewhere, but still), acidity 1.2. Pretty dry for the style, actually fairly sharp.
  
• Nigori Junmai: Gohyakumangoku milled to 70%, SMV -25, acidity 2.0. This was described as being as similar to doburoku style. It pours out almost like porridge, without the lumps. Creamy and thick, but you know, it wasn't that sweet either. Not something for daily consumption (well, maybe for breakfast..."Doburoku gives you strength!"), but pretty tasty.

And that's a day's work. We tried to get into Bar Hagi for dinner afterwards, but the wait, even at 6PM, was already over an hour, so we headed down to the East Village for some sushi and sashimi, with, of course, some sake: Sharaku Junmai Daiginjo from Fukushima Prefecture's Miyaizumi Meijyo - Miyama Nishiki rice, SMV +3, solid and stout, full rice flavour, not in the lean, crisp style. Have to admit, was longing for a kebab after all that.